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KEY SITES: THAME MARKET
Thame, a historic market town, had its market day established as Tuesday from the 1180s.
The first formal market charter was granted by King John in 1215, the very same year as the ‘Great Charter of Freedoms’ or Magna Carta Libertatum was signed.
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Its large elongated oval market place still holds a popular market on Tuesday, but the cattle and sheep markets were moved to a nearby site, and are now held on Wednesday and Friday.
TOWN HALL
In 1887 it was decided to create a Town Hall on the Market or Moot Hall site at the heart of the town. Moot Hall had been built in 1509.
This was planned to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Designed by Henry James Tollit in the Jacobethan style and built by a local, John Wells. It was completed for 1887. The Moot Hall was acquired, dismantled and parts were sold. Its clock to Towersey Church.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
MEMORIAL
Thame’s Grade II listed war memorial was unveiled in July 1921 by the then PM, David Lloyd George.
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IThe memorial sits in the peaceful Memorial Gardens that feature the Pearce Memorial Fountain, created by Faith Winter, and recently restored. The Pearce family were local wool staplers. The statue has a young boy, holding a fish. He stands on a turtle. It was twice stolen. This is a replica of the 1926 original.
(Source: Art UK)
The adjacent Youth Memorial Garden was formally dedicated in January 2010 as a place to remember those who died young.
ST MARY’S
The parish church of St Mary the Virgin dates back to the 13th C. The original building can still be seen within the pillars and arches of the nave, and aisle windows from the early 14th C. It was substantially restored in the years between 1889-97. The stalls in the chancel have linenfold panelling and were salvaged from Thame Abbey in 1540. There are interesting tombs. For examle those of Lord Williams and his wife Elizabeth.
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See also a carved oak screen dating from around 1320 and a wall painting from 1500 depicting a Pietà – Mary holding the dead Christ. The church has eight bells (in F# tenor) cast at Whitechapel in 1876.
(Source: St Mary’s website)
St. Mary’s Church is said to be haunted by a lady in grey. She first appeared to the vicar during the 1880s, startling him while he was giving holy communion. She was wearing Elizabethan-style clothing.
QUIZ
Try to locate these seven sites around Thame?
Key Sites: Back to Thame Editorial - Forward to Thame Maps - to Thame Categories
Go to Facts - Back to Thame Home Page – to Bob Denton Home Page
